THE weather was the only thing that was miserable in Paul Burrell's home village of Farndon yesterday.

Settled on the Welsh borders in Cheshire, it is only a few miles from the flower shop in Wrexham Mr Burrell and his wife Maria have been running since he left the Royal Household.

Yesterday, as the international media set up their own village in the middle of the community, locals at the Farndon Arms were already planning the queen of all celebrations for Mr Burrell's return.

There was no one in the village who was not delighted with the news that its famous son had been acquitted of charges of theft.

Those who had come into the pub for a quiet lunchtime drink were overawed by the myriad of reporters who had descended on the Cheshire village after the announcement from London.

In the pub local people said they never had any doubt that family man Mr Burrell was innocent.

Pub landlord Keith Bouchier, a close friend of the Burrells, described the moment he heard about his friend's acquittal.

He said, "It was all pretty emotional. Paul and and Maria both phoned the pub to share with us their great news.

"He had very mixed emotions and was crying but also seemed delighted as well.

"Everybody in the village was 100 per cent behind Paul. He's just a really genuinely nice family man."

He added, "I am angry because the case has cost a fortune and it has cost Paul and his family a lot of heartache - they did not deserve all this hassle."

With a population of 3,000, Farndon is a charming, prosperous village in Cheshire where the transport of choice appears to be a BMW or Jaguar.

With three quaint public houses, a post office, a chemist, a butcher's shop and a newsagents, Farndon is a typical British village.

At Mr Burrell's flower shop in the next village of Holt, in the borough of Wrexham, journalists were barred from entering by a media bouncer. Declaring he "looked after Paul for the media", Dave Warwick of Dave Anthony Promotions refused to answer any questions about the Burrell case.

Next door to the flower shop Jeremy Hughes of the Londis convenience store and post office, said he was delighted with the news that Mr Burrell had been acquitted.

He said, "Everybody who knows Paul was never in any doubt that he was innocent of the theft charges."

Back at the cosy Farndon Arms, regulars Nigel Sheffield and Ernie Evans described how delighted they were.

Mr Sheffield said, "It's been a dreadful two years. I don't know how the family have coped with all the strength and public attention.

"I've seen Paul and his family in the pub on several occasions and they are just a nice, ordinary family who keep themselves to themselves.

"I am so pleased that this trial has come to a successful conclusion for the Burrells and I know everybody in Farndon was 100 per cent behind them.''

Mr Evans added, "The corks will be popping and the champagne will flow when Paul and his family return.

"We live in a close-knit community and everybody sticks together. Residents have supported Paul and his family throughout and were never in any doubt that he was innocent.

"We cannot believe that this ordeal is over for them, it's been two years of sheer hell for them."

Later Dave Warwick told reporters outside Paul Burrell's flower shop that Mr and Mrs Burrell would not be returning to their Farndon home until after the weekend. He added that they might not return for another week.

Mr Warwick denied speculation that Mrs Burrell was hiding in her husband's flower shop to escape the attention of the Press, but he refused to confirm whether she was at home or staying with friends.

The media consultant also revealed that Mr Burrell had been offered a number of opportunities to tell his story, from companies in the UK, the United States, Australia and New Zealand.

"What I am advising Paul to do is to take a step back and look at the offers on the table," he said. "Then he can decide whether or not to accept them or refuse them."

He added, "I spoke to Mr and Mrs Burrell earlier today and they are delighted that the trial has collapsed. All they want to do now is to get back to being a normal family."

Mr Burrell may want a lot of things out of his new life-afterthe-trial. His story is bound to sell for a substantial six-figure sum with book rights and - in all probability - film rights to follow.

But getting back to being a normal family? Without doubt there is no chance whatsoever of that.